Satellite data reveals devastating effects of massive Amazon dam

+ PFAS in kids' clothing; blasting out Earth's location to find aliens US Edition - Today's top story: Satellites over the Amazon capture the choking of the ‘house of God’ by the Belo Monte Dam – they can help find solutions, too [View in browser]( US Edition | 4 May 2022 [The Conversation]( There have long been worries the controversial Belo Monte Dam in the Brazilian Amazon would have catastrophic effects on Indigenous people and the environment. Now there is clear evidence – collected by satellite – that the dam has greatly altered the river ecosystem. A team of hydrologists from the University of Washington explains how [remote sensing by satellite has provided critical data]( about the project’s impact that is not publicly available. “Satellite observations can empower populations around the world who face threats to their resources,” they write. A study published this morning offers more evidence of how widespread PFAS chemicals are. Boston University environmental health researcher Kathryn Rodgers reports on the results of a study that found these “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to a number of health problems, were [present in an array of children’s goods](, such as stain- and water-resistant clothing and bedding, some marketed as “nontoxic” or “green.” Her article explains the results as well as the latest on regulations to limit PFAS use. One topic that has frequently come up in our story meetings – and on our pages – is teen mental health. As Kevin Kuehn and Kevin King from the University of Washington write, “By all accounts, young people are experiencing a seemingly unprecedented level of emotional distress.” Their article delves specifically into the question of why teens self-harm. They also offer some tangible ways to [discuss self-harm and support distressed teens](. Also in this week’s science news: - [Potentially better COVID-19 vaccines on the way]( - [The Red Sox versus Yankees effect in support for wind power]( - [Why wastewater monitoring has taken hold during the pandemic]( Martin La Monica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Today's newsletter supported by [Readers like you]( NASA’s Landsat satellites have been monitoring changes on Earth’s landscape for 50 years. NASA illustration [Satellites over the Amazon capture the choking of the ‘house of God’ by the Belo Monte Dam – they can help find solutions, too]( Pritam Das, University of Washington; Faisal Hossain, University of Washington; Hörður Bragi Helgason, University of Washington; Shahzaib Khan, University of Washington When Indigenous peoples lose their river flow to dams, satellite programs like Landsat can help them fight for their resources. Stain-resistance can mean questionable chemicals in children’s clothes. VM via Getty Images [PFAS are showing up in children’s stain- and water-resistant products – including those labeled ‘nontoxic’ and ‘green’]( Kathryn Rodgers, Boston University Tests found PFAS in school uniforms, pillows, upholstered furniture and several other items that are often next to children’s skin and near their noses and mouths. Nearly 1 in 5 young people worldwide intentionally injure themselves every year. xijian/E! via Getty Images [Why do teens engage in self-harm? Clinical psychologists explain how to help teens reduce their emotional distress]( Kevin Kuehn, University of Washington; Kevin King, University of Washington New research shows that many young people report a sense of temporary relief following episodes of self-harm. But there are clear ways to help teens replace injurious behaviors with healthy ones. - [Blasting out Earth’s location with the hope of reaching aliens is a controversial idea – two teams of scientists are doing it anyway]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona This year, two groups of astronomers plan to send messages containing information about humans and the location of Earth toward parts of space they think may be home to intelligent life. - [A boom in fitness trackers isn’t leading to a boom in physical activity – men, women, kids and adults in developed countries are all moving less]( Scott A. Conger, Boise State University; David Bassett, University of Tennessee; Lindsay Toth, University of North Florida Research is revealing that fitness trackers alone can be helpful facilitators toward changing a sedentary lifestyle but don’t motivate people to increase their physical activity. - [New Englanders support more offshore wind power – just don’t send it to New York]( David Bidwell, University of Rhode Island; Jeremy Firestone, University of Delaware; Michael Ferguson, University of New Hampshire The regionalism that fuels the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is also found in U.S. attitudes about energy production, a new study shows. That could have repercussions for the renewable energy transition. - [What is Paxlovid and how will it help the fight against coronavirus? An infectious diseases physician answers questions on the COVID-19 pill]( Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia An infectious disease doctor discusses the use, benefits and availability of a drug to prevent severe COVID-19. - [I’m a Black sociologist, and a mom – by listening to other Black mothers, I’ve learned about their pandemic struggles and strengths]( Loren Henderson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County As the world locked down and a country’s racial reckoning heated up, this social scientist refined her approach to studying the lives of Black moms. - [Psychologists are starting to talk publicly about their own mental illnesses – and patients can benefit]( Andrew Devendorf, University of South Florida; Sarah Victor, Texas Tech University Psychologists have mental health difficulties and illnesses at the same rate as the general population – but the profession has long stigmatized talking about them in public. - [Wastewater monitoring took off during the COVID-19 pandemic – and here’s how it could help head off future outbreaks]( Susan De Long, Colorado State University; Carol Wilusz, Colorado State University Over 800 sites across the US report coronavirus data from sewage to the CDC. Here’s how this kind of surveillance system works and what it can and can’t tell you. - [Will new vaccines be better at fighting coronavirus variants? 5 questions answered]( Vaibhav Upadhyay, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Krishna Mallela, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Existing coronavirus vaccines are not as effective against newer variants of the virus. Two vaccine experts explain how new vaccines currently in development will likely offer better protection. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s graphic [A map of the Xingu River's Big Bend after the Belo Monte Project.]( From the story, [Satellites over the Amazon capture the choking of the ‘house of God’ by the Belo Monte Dam – they can help find solutions, too]( --------------------------------------------------------------- - Like this newsletter? 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